Railways launches nationwide safety drive after coach crack detected at Ludhiana; all ICF coaches to be inspected
New Delhi, June 7
The Ministry of Railways has launched a nationwide safety drive and ordered a comprehensive inspection of all Integral Coach Factory coaches following the detection of a crack in a sleeper coach of the New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Special train at Ludhiana on June 6.
In a series of immediate corrective measures, the Railway Ministry has directed all zones to carry out detailed inspections of ICF coaches, with special emphasis on identifying rust, corrosion and structural weaknesses in critical areas. The exercise is expected to be completed within the next week.
According to the ministry, any coach found to be suffering from excessive corrosion or structural deterioration will be withdrawn from service to ensure passenger safety.
Senior officials from the Railway Board headquarters, workshops, and divisions will conduct super-checks. Zonal Railways have also released an informative video on the issue.
Advanced equipment such as endoscopy cameras and ultrasonic thickness gauges will be used for thorough inspection of critical areas. All workshops undertaking periodic overhauling will be audited within the next month.
The Ministry is also simplifying Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) to enable faster condemnation of coaches with severe corrosion or those requiring excessively high repair costs.
The safety review was initiated after an incident involving the New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Special train at Ludhiana Railway Station on June 6. According to railway officials, the train experienced a severe jolt while departing from the station, resulting in the train splitting into two sections and causing panic among railway personnel and passengers.
A series of recent railway incidents has once again sparked intense concerns regarding train safety across the country.
On May 19, Ujjain Express met with an accident near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, at night around 9:30 pm as three coaches of the train derailed.
On May 19, three coaches of the Ujjain Express derailed near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, around 9:30 pm. The derailment occurred in the Khand Village area. Railway officials stated that no passengers were on board the train at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported.
Just two days prior, on May 17, a fire broke out in the B-1 AC coach and rear SLR coach of the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express in Madhya Pradesh, railway officials said. No loss of life or injuries were reported in the incident.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, as someone who travels by train frequently, this is long overdue. The recent derailments and fire incidents were alarming. But the idea of simplifying SOPs for condemning coaches makes sense — why keep old rusty coaches running and risk lives? Let's hope this is not just paperwork exercise.
Travelled on that Katra train last month — it was jerky the whole way. Glad they caught the crack before a major accident. But why was a crack allowed to develop? Quality checks need to be more regular, not just after incidents. India's railway network moves millions daily, safety cannot be reactive.
Ultrasonic thickness gauges and endoscopy cameras — nice jargon. But ground reality? Most stations don't have proper inspection pits even. Railway needs to invest more in infrastructure, not just press releases. Reducing emergency response time and better maintenance scheduling should be priority #1.
As a daily commuter, I'm scared 😰 Every time I hear 'jolt' or 'no passengers were on board' — it's just luck saving us. The Ujjain Express derailment had no passengers? That's a relief but what if it happened during peak hours? Railways need zero-tolerance for corrosion.
Respectfully, this is better late than never. Indian Railways carries 2.3 crore passengers daily — world's largest. But the maintenance culture needs a serious upgrade. I've seen coaches with visible rust and broken fittings. Glad they're finally using modern tools like endoscopy cameras. But will regular audits actually happen? That's the real question.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.